De/Vision
Category: Synthpop / Electronica
Album: Rage/Time to Be Alive (Single)
Stars: 3.5
Blurb: With a combination of formulated electronica and cynically playful lyrics, De/Vision comes back with a teaser single of the highest proportions.

Fans of De/Vision will easily embrace the first released single from the band in almost three year’s time. After this fairly lengthy hiatus, they return with an introductory piece to their forthcoming album in the guise of the single Rage/Time to be Alive. The disc consists of the single itself mirrored by the equally strong piece of electronica “Time to be Alive.” The double A-side disc reminisces strongly of De/Vision’s trademark sound, heightened this time with an even clearer understanding of lyrical composition and overall song creation. Now solely comprised of Thomas Adam and Steffen Keth, they have steadily managed to establish themselves as two of the more prominent electronic artists on the scene. The single strengthens this truth with some great examples of their unfaltering approach to catchy and meaningful synthpop. Never taking itself too seriously, yet managing a semblance of humour throughout their lyrics, De/Vision entertains with a polished quality that shows that they are clearly a band that has worked together over a great amount of time. The offbeat cynicism that lyrically comes through with the title track “Rage” encapsulates a casual darkness within the musical text. Coupling this with some very catchy synthed samples and an even-paced bass line makes for a full package of a song. Music like this shows once and for all that De/Vision hasn’t simply been sitting on its hands these past few years; they have been honing their existing skills and broadening their creative musical spectrum to the nth degree. The creative sampling and steady electronically-pitched piano of “Time to be Alive” continues the flow of the disc, matching vocals seamlessly with a pulsing synth background that emits a positive vibe on both counts. The only slight disappointment on the disc falls short with the extended club version of “Rage.” Here, the extension of the track is the only real thing that makes it club-worthy. There is no true innovation surfacing here beyond a cleverly composed introduction that all-too-quickly leaves us immersed again in a version of the title track that consists mainly of extra beats and wider gaps in between chorus and verse. So much more could have been done with this mix in order to elevate it into a more richly crafted club version, but sadly this is not the case. Seeking redemption after this slight pause comes the down-tempo track “Free World,” fraught with introspective lyrics with a beautifully composed electronic backdrop. This track rounds off the single with a nicely mellowed-out tonality, salvaging the four-track single and once again leaving you wanting to hear more from the resurfaced sound of De/Vision.

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